Friday, June 5, is America’s National Donut Day! Do you know your doughnut celebrations?

Donut Day is always the first Friday of every June. It celebrates the popular treat, which is a sweet, deep-fried O-shaped piece of dough.

National Donut Day is a fairly old holiday, having been started in 1938 as a fund raiser for the Chicago Salvation Army. It originally served two purposes: to help the poor during the Great Depression, and to celebrate the Salvation Army “Lassies” of World War I. These women volunteered near the front line, providing soldiers with baked goods, mailing supplies and moral support.

When baked goods were difficult to procure, two volunteers, Margaret Sheldon and Helen Purviance, started handing out doughnuts, which became an “instant hit”. Sheldon wrote one day, “Today I made 22 pies, 300 doughnuts, 700 cups of coffee.”

Americans today are able to celebrate a number of ways!

• Dunkin’ Donuts has announced that participating stores will give every customer a free doughnut of their choosing with the purchase of any beverage.
• Krispy Kreme is offering one free doughnut per customer, no purchase required.
• Los Angeles residents can try a fancy $18 doughnut sampler platter at Grace, which includes flavors like salted caramel, pistachio and buttermilk brown butter glazed.

Coincidentally, today is National Running Day. Get that cardio in so you can spoil yourself tomorrow!